Apple Targeting Amazon

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by DNSB

There are some differences in Apple's variant of the epub3 specification though they seem to make little difference in the reading experience on non-Apple devices.

There is also Apple's FairPlay DRM issue which makes it a total pain to format shift or use their books on other devices. I don't really want to pay $30 US for software that I am not sure will work and have to set up a virtual Mac to run it in for those who are not Mac owners -- well, I have the virtual Mac so that is not really an issue for me.

Sounds like a mess. Maybe this is why Apple is having trouble gaining ground on Amazon.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Sounds like a mess. Maybe this is why Apple is having trouble gaining ground on Amazon.

Apple has - and always has had - pretty much the best ePub 3 reader around in the form of their "iBooks" app in terms of compliance to the ePub 3 standard. The issues are that there's no official way to copy files from an iPad or iPhone (you can copy content to it, but not from it), and the fact that they use their own DRM mechanism.

Of course, none of that is any different to Amazon selling content to read on a Kindle. The fact is that the overwhelming majority of people buy content from their reader supplier to read on that device; people like us who want to buy from one supplier and read on another are in the minority.

So no, I really can't agree with you that it's a "mess".

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by barryem

I'm really uncomfortable with things like "Apple should not be allowed". If they want to sell books they should sell books. Doing business is a right, not a privilege.

You should also be allowed to say "Apple should not be allowed" even if it does make me uncomfortable.

Barry

It doesn't make me uncomfortable, but it does make me dismiss someone's opinion as based on emotion rather than reason.

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Apple has - and always has had - pretty much the best ePub 3 reader around in the form of their "iBooks" app in terms of compliance to the ePub 3 standard. The issues are that there's no official way to copy files from an iPad or iPhone (you can copy content to it, but not from it), and the fact that they use their own DRM mechanism.

Of course, none of that is any different to Amazon selling content to read on a Kindle. The fact is that the overwhelming majority of people buy content from their reader supplier to read on that device; people like us who want to buy from one supplier and read on another are in the minority.

So no, I really can't agree with you that it's a "mess".

Apple's business model is fairly similar to Amazon's business model, i.e. lock you into their ecosystem. For a large portion of the reading public, that's fine.

Right now, as far as I can tell, Apple's targeted book audience are iDevice owners who are casual readers who mostly read best seller type books. Until Marvin came around, I used iBooks a lot. It's not bad, it just doesn't handle large libraries well, their targeted audience rarely has more than a handful of books at a time.

I'm not surprised that Apple is making a ebook push at this time for a number of reasons. I suspect there will be less legal roadblocks in their way this time. I hope it works for them. Some legit competition might push Amazon to improve ebook store a bit. They have been coasting on the ebook front for a number of years. If both Kobo and Apple make a major push, then it's all good for the consumers as a whole.

I seriously doubt that I will buy much from the Apple bookstore. I'm simply not part of their targeted audience. I'll probably install the beta on one of my devices just to see what it's like though.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Of course, none of that is any different to Amazon selling content to read on a Kindle. The fact is that the overwhelming majority of people buy content from their reader supplier to read on that device; people like us who want to buy from one supplier and read on another are in the minority.

So no, I really can't agree with you that it's a "mess".

Well, since I can't buy an inexpensive eInk eReader for iBooks, it's definitely a non-starter for me.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Well, since I can't buy an inexpensive eInk eReader for iBooks, it's definitely a non-starter for me.

I think it's targeted more at people wanting to read on the device (iPhone or iPad) they already have, rather than people buying such a device specifically to read on.

[HLS]

Article says simpler? Could not get any more simple. Interface is that drab grey. I do not buy books from apple for it is so boring. Now if Apple made an eink ereader in that nice rose gold I will be all in

[pwalker8]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Well, since I can't buy an inexpensive eInk eReader for iBooks, it's definitely a non-starter for me.

In general, Apple doesn't do inexpensive.

To a certain extent, Apple is at a bit of a cross road. Trying to open up the China and Indian market doesn't really match their US model of high profit margin luxury goods. Steve Jobs had a definite business model that he followed and he understood that hype was a big part of that model. I don't know that Tim Cook understands that. IMPO, the biggest difference is that Jobs thought in terms of products, while Cook thinks in terms of markets. I never get the "wow, this is so cool, you are going to love it" vibe from Cook that I got from Jobs.

[Mivo]

I used to frequently buy books from Apple’s iBooks store, but I stopped when it became impossible to move them to, and read them on, my e-ink devices. Maybe a new way has been found since, but I never went back to shopping there. I already struggle with the concept of often paying as much for an ebook as for a paper book (which I could sell or give away), but additionally tying my books to the devices of a specific manufacturer is outside of my comfort zone.

[HarryT]

Perhaps because you're in Germany, where the Buchpreisbindungsgesetz (great word!) prohibits discounting of the prices of books? For those of us in countries without such a law, ebooks are generally much cheaper than their paper equivalents.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I think it's targeted more at people wanting to read on the device (iPhone or iPad) they already have, rather than people buying such a device specifically to read on.

I'm guessing you're right. I wonder if it isn't time for Apple to consider making a eInk device so they could more directly compete with Amazon?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by pwalker8

In general, Apple doesn't do inexpensive.

To a certain extent, Apple is at a bit of a cross road. Trying to open up the China and Indian market doesn't really match their US model of high profit margin luxury goods. Steve Jobs had a definite business model that he followed and he understood that hype was a big part of that model. I don't know that Tim Cook understands that. IMPO, the biggest difference is that Jobs thought in terms of products, while Cook thinks in terms of markets. I never get the "wow, this is so cool, you are going to love it" vibe from Cook that I got from Jobs.

I'm thinking that – even in the United States – smartphones and tablets are becoming more of a "commodity" and less of a status symbol now. Maybe Apple needs to re-think some of their positions. It might be time for them to compete more directly with Amazon with an inexpensive (relatively speaking, considering it's Apple) eInk eReader. I.e., consider subsidizing the eReader to sell the books (like Amazon).

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by rcentros

I'm guessing you're right. I wonder if it isn't time for Apple to consider making a eInk device so they could more directly compete with Amazon?

Seems unlikely to me. The two companies have completely different goals. Amazon sell mostly low-end hardware pretty much at cost as a vehicle to drive content sales, which are where they make their money. Ok, they have premium devices, too, such as the Voyage and Oasis, which I'm sure they make a profit on, but that's just a sideline. Apple, OTOH, are a (very) high-end hardware company whose interest in selling content is close to zero.

I can't see Apple being any threat to Amazon, or vice versa. Amazon will happily sell you books to read on your iPhone or iPad; Apple will happily sell you the device to read it on.

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Perhaps because you're in Germany, where the Buchpreisbindungsgesetz (great word!) prohibits discounting of the prices of books? For those of us in countries without such a law, ebooks are generally much cheaper than their paper equivalents.

The USA doesn't have such a law, but paper books are sold retail and ebooks agency, so paperback and older (unused) hardbacks are frequently cheaper than the ebook version, sometime substantially cheaper, because of routine heavy discounting (not special sales) for the paper versions.

[Mivo]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Perhaps because you're in Germany, where the Buchpreisbindungsgesetz (great word!) prohibits discounting of the prices of books? For those of us in countries without such a law, ebooks are generally much cheaper than their paper equivalents.

I buy and read mostly English books where the Buchpreisbindungsgesetz doesn't apply, unless they are published in Germany. In general(*), prices for ebooks don't seem to be drastically cheaper for me, if at all, even if you don't take the inability to resell them into account. The other issue, from a cost perspective, is that I can't buy them used. Almost every time when I buy a new (unused, old stock) or used book on eBay from an US seller, it's noticeably cheaper than the ebook version, even after shipping. It's just takes a couple weeks to get here and adds to my space problem.

(*) I should mention that I don't buy ebooks from Amazon, which likely deprives me of the best discounts around.